Safety boat



June 4, 1957 'r, PARIS 2,794,192

SAFETY BOAT Filed Dec. 28, 1954 v 2 Sheet s-Sheet 1 Q i INVENTOR z.

ATTORNEY TIIQITCGS PGriS.

June 4, 1957 T. PARIS 2,794,192

7 SAFETY BOAT Filed Dec. 28. 1954 2 Shts-Sheet 2 INVENTOR TJ-QOn-caS Par is.

nited States Patent O SAFETY BOAT Thomas Paris, Los Angeles, Calif. Application December 28, 1954, Serial No. 478,050 1 Claim. (Cl. 9-3) This invention relates to a safety boat or lifeboat, and particularly relates to a boat which" is unsi'nkab'le in any kind of water and in any kind of weather.

It is one object of the present invention to provide ,a boat which is provided with pontoons'to prevent the boat from capsizing, the pontoons being so constructed and so connected to the boat that they automatic'allyact to reduce side pressure of the waves in rough water.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a boat which has a buoyant hull, the buoyancy of which cannot be impaired by any damage to the hull.

Above each compartment 14 is provided a hollow flange 24. Extending vertically from each of these flanges is a housing 26. This housing 26 includes a series of posts 28 on each side of the boat, these posts being positioned to support a canopy 32 as by flange portion 30. The front of the housing is preferably enclosed, as at 34. This enclosed portion may be provided with a doorway, such as shown at 36, and windows, such as shown at 38. The remainder of the housing is preferably of open-sided construction, with the open sides adapted to be closed by a curtain 40 which is shown as being rolled up on a roller in open position.

A rain-water drain pipe 42 extends from an opening in the canopy down to a bucket 44 hung on a hook 46 on one of the posts 28 by means of a bail 48. The rainwater collected in the bucket may also be used as a source of drinking water supply.

A bumper bar 50, preferably made of resilient material such as rubber, cork or plastic, is provided along the external surface of each side of the hull.

The bottom of the boat comprises two separate curved portions 52. These curved bottoms are separated by a Another object of the present invention is to provide "a boat which is adapted to keep baggage and the like waterproof and air-tight.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide an improved. safety boat, of the character described, that is easily and economically produced, which is sturdy in construction and which is highly efficient in operation.

With the above and related objects in view, this invention consists in the details of constructions and combination of parts, as will be more fully understood from the following description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a boat embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a top view taken on line Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line Fig. 1;

2--2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary, cross-sectional view similar to Fig. 3, but showing only a portion of the boat in enlarged detail.

Referring now in greater detail to the drawings, wherein similar reference characters refer to similar parts, there is shown a boat, generally indicated 10, which comprises a hollow hull 12, preferably made of sheet metal for ruggedness, lightness and flexibility. Within the hull, on each side thereof, there is provided a semi-cylindrical chamber 14. Each of these chambers 14 are partitioned into top and bottom chambers or compartments 16 and 18. In each of the upper compartments 16 is provided a resilient air-tube which is shown as completely filling the inside of the compartment. This air tube is preferably constructed of self-sealing rubber so that, if the metal hull is pierced and the tube is also pierced, it will automatically seal itself up and maintain the buoyancy. If the metal hull alone is damaged, the air-tube will, of course, effectively maintain the buoyancy. At least one air valve 22 is provided in each tube, only one such valve for each tube being, however, indicated in the drawings.

The bottom compartments 18 are adapted to be filled with water. The water acts as ballast to steady the boat. Although not shown, stop cocks or the like may be provided in the compartments 18 to drain off the water when less ballast is desired. The water in these compartments may also be pure drinking water, so that, if the boat is at sea for any extended length of time, a large supply of drinking water would be available.

channel 54 which is bounded at its upper end by compartment 56. This compartment 56 is also completely filled by an air-filled tube 58 similar to the tubes 20 in the compartments 16. A central gangway 60 is formed on the top of the compartment 56. A pair of hand rails 62 border the gangway 60 on each side. Afront or fore-deck 64 is formed in the bow of the boat and a compansionway or staircase 66 leads from the fore end of the gangway 60 to the fore-deck. A hand rail portion 68 borders the companionway 66 at each side. In similar manner, a rear or aft-deck is provided at 70 and a rear companionway 72 leads to this aft-deck from the central gangway. This rear companionway is bordered by hand rail portions 74.

An air-tight compartment 76 is provided below and to each side of the compartment 56. These compartments 76 are adapted to hold baggage, food, and the like, safe from the elements. The tops of these compartments 76 are level with the bottom of compartment 56. A series of seat cushions 78 are arranged on top of each compartment 76 and back rests 80, to mate with these seat cushions, are arranged adjacent each side of chamber 56. These cushions and back rests provide comfortable seats for the occupants of the boat. Aside gangway 82 is provided adjacent each row of seats. At the rear of each of the rows of seats there is provided a compartment 84 in which toilet seats 86 are substituted for the regular seats. These toilet seats are separated from the other seats in the row by a wall 88. A door 90 in each gangway 82 closes the toilet compartments, one of which may be for men and one for women.

At the bottom of each curved bottom portion 52 are provided a pair of angle irons 92 to which there is con nected a bracket 94 as by means of a bolt 96. A pontoon 98 is connected to the bracket 94 and is held thereby in spaced relation to the bottom surface of the portion 52. A pair of oppositely disposed angle-iron brackets 100 provide additional support for the pontoon.

There are also provided a pair of angle-bars 102 extending from the laterally inner surface of each of the curved bottom portions 52. These angle-bars 102 support a foil 104, within the channel 54.

The spacing of the pontoons 98 from the curved bottom portions 52 enables the boat to better balance itself in heavy seas. This is due to the fact that when waves break laterally against the boat, they are broken up, with part of the waves flowing through the spaces between the pontoons and the curved bottom portions of the boat. The rounded bottoms ride with the waves and prevent capsizing, the waves being further broken up in the channel 54 between the bottom portions. Furthermore, the parts of the waves which pass between the pontoons and the boat bottoms act to press down on the pontoonsfrom above. This results in the Waves tending to hold the pontoons in the water instead of lifting them up from the water as in the case where no spacing between "the boat bottom and the pontoons is provided.

In heavy seas, the rounded bottoms, plus the foil 104 enable the boat to move forward through the .water while the waves, acting on top of the ontoons, act to keep the boat in the water. In calm seas, the boat will ride on the pontoons and the foil 104 will be-above-the level of the water. This decreases the friction between the bottom of the boat and the water, and permits greater speeds.

A suitable engine which may be of either the steam, gasoline, or diesel type, may be installed in an appropriate position in the boat. An .appropriaterudder, steering mechanism, and the like, may also be provided inthe conventional manner.

Although this invention has been described in con siderable detail, such description is intended as being -i1 lustrative rather than limiting, since the invention may be variously embodied, and the scope of the invention is to be determined as claimed.

The invention claimed is:

A boat comprising a hull, an elongated compartment .at each of the two opposite sides of said hull, a flexible, airinflated tube in each of said compartments, an elongated compartment at opposite sides of said hull and beneath said first compartments, said second+mentioned compartments being adapted to hold water ballast, a central elongated compartment extending along said hull in elevated position re'lative'to the previously-mentioned compartments, and an air-inflated, flexible tube in said central compartment, air-tight compartment being provided at each side of said central compartment, said air-tight compartments being laterally spaced from said first and second mentioned compartments on each side of said boat by a gangway, the top surfaces of said air-tight compartments providing seats, and the side surfaces of said central compartment forming corresponding back rests for said seats, hand rails bordering the top surface of said central compartment which forms a central gangway, said first and second mentioned compartments are provided in each of two laterally spaced bottom hull portions, said hull portions being rounded on the bottom surfaces thereof, and a pontoon connected, in spaced relation, to the bot tom surface of each of said hull portions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,051,833 Durand Jan. 28, .1913 1,117,439 Pitt Nov. 17, 1914 1,296,876 Tarbox Mar. 11, 1919 1,300,524 Waddington Apr. 15, 1919 1,757,174 Douglas 'May 6, 1930 2,233,254 Elling Feb. 25, 1941 2,371,404 Mumford Mar. 13, 1945 2,413,226 Hallward Dec. 24, 1946 2,427,772 Farish Sept. 23, 1947 2,686,323 McCarthy et a1 Aug. 17, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 9,229 Great Britain Apr. 20, 1914 

